California Governor Gavin Newsom alleged on Monday that the US Department of Justice is investigating people in his orbit due to his political opposition to President Donald Trump. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.
"In recent days, federal agents have knocked on the door of family, friends, and former employees," Newsom said in a video. "Not because they found crime, because they're simply trying to find one."
Newsom, a Democrat, acknowledged speculation that he would seek the White House in 2028, alleging Trump was "coming after me because I'm considering running for president."
A source familiar with the investigation confirmed there were "several investigations ongoing" for "roughly a year", but denied Trump's involvement. The investigations "all originated out of California, working through whistleblowers and government sources," the individual said, requesting anonymity.
Federal prosecutors in the state capital of Sacramento were handling the investigations, one of which pertained to Newsom's wife's taxes, and another related to Newsom's former chief of staff. Newsom's former chief of staff Dana Williamson pleaded guilty to federal charges in May over a campaign finance fraud scheme that did not implicate Newsom.
Newsom portrayed the investigation as an act of political persecution and alleged that the investigation into his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, was intended to harm him. "One by one anyone who has challenged Donald Trump has ended up on his hit list, and today, I proudly joined that list," Newsom said.
Over the last two years, the justice department has opened prosecutions or investigations of prominent Trump critics, including former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and former Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.
The White House and the justice department declined to comment.